Hapa Pizza, the Beaverton pizzeria recognized for its Asian-inspired toppings, was named one of many 22 finest pizza locations in america by The New York Occasions on Tuesday.In a textual content message, co-owner Aaron Truong known as Hapa’s look on the record a “enormous honor,” whereas saying he hoped to not “put an excessive amount of inventory” into it.“I really feel like we nonetheless have rather a lot to study and enhance on, so we’ll simply maintain plugging away and getting higher,” he wrote.The Occasions record features a pointedly numerous mixture of pizzerias each by way of delicacies (Neapolitan pies are represented, as are these impressed by Cleveland and Bangladesh) and geography (places vary from Berkeley to Baltimore to Mountain Brook, Alabama). A number of the best-known pizzerias in America (Pizzeria Bianco in Phoenix, Roberta’s in Brooklyn) sit alongside fashionable hits (Pizzeria Sei in Los Angeles, Younger Joni in Minneapolis) and extra under-the-radar finds (Leña Pizza in Cleveland — which isn’t the Cleveland-style place — and Fowl Pizza in Charlotte, North Carolina, which is).Even so, our readers may discover it refreshing to see a special pizzeria land on a nationwide record after Ken’s Artisan Pizza appeared to rack up all of the awards final yr. Talking of, the High 50 Pizza group plans to announce its 2024 picks for America, which final yr included Ken’s (304 S.E. twenty eighth Ave.) at No. 3, Apizza Scholls (4741 S.E. Hawthorne Blvd.) at No. 20, and Nostrana (1401 S.E. Morrison St.) at No. 29, at a ceremony Tuesday night.The Oregonian first wrote about Hapa Pizza again in 2022, after we discovered meals business newcomers Aaron and Natalie Truong cooking their pizzas in yard Gozney Roccbox ovens on the Beaverton Farmers Market. Although the calling card was a phở-style braised brisket pizza full with hoisin and bean sprouts, we have been simply as impressed with the easy cheese pie, which already ranked amongst Beaverton’s finest pizza. The pizzeria began with an “impulse purchase,” Aaron advised us then, after he noticed a web based fundraiser for the Roccbox, one in all a number of new counter-top pizza ovens able to cooking with blistering warmth. After a number of tasty experiments — with an help from “The Parts of Pizza,” the influential pizza ebook from former Ken’s Artisan Pizza proprietor Ken Forkish — an “aha” second got here when Aaron made a bulgogi pie for a gaggle of pals. These pals quickly inspired the Truongs to go professional.In 2023, we named Hapa one of many metro space’s finest new pizzerias. That yr, the Truongs opened their first brick-and-mortar restaurant (they proceed to function their Saturday farmer’s market stall). Final month, Eater PDX reported that the duo deliberate to increase with The Collab, a bar and devoted pop-up house subsequent door to their pizzeria that may play host to native snack and dessert distributors.Hapa, which the Truongs see as an expression of their “expertise of rising up as Asian Individuals and being a hybrid of a number of cultures,” takes its identify from the Hawaiian phrase for “half and half,” a time period “used colloquially to discuss with people who find themselves half Asian and half white,” Aaron Truong defined. “It’s a becoming identify for the type of pizza that we make,” he stated. “as a result of it’s mixing two totally different cultures collectively in Italian and Asian.”One of many pizzeria’s hallmarks is the best way candy beef, bean sprouts and different issues that may sound odd as pizza toppings find yourself tasting scrumptious while you strive them on a Hapa pie. Or, as The New York Occasions put it, “Mr. Truong manages to get rather a lot on his pizzas with out them seeming gimmicky or overloaded.” Agreed.Go to Hapa Pizza for lunch Wednesday-Friday and dinner Wednesday-Saturday at 12755 S.W. Broadway St., Beaverton; or Saturday mornings on the Beaverton Farmers Market; hapapizza.com.— Michael Russell; mrussell@oregonian.comOur journalism wants your assist. Please grow to be a subscriber right now at OregonLive.com/subscribe